Butter-cutter.



Patented Aug. 20, I901.-

No, 68I,068.

w, u. uo ck. BUTTER CUTTER.

(Application filed mi. 22, 1901.

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ATTEST ATTY V Np. 158 068. Patented Aug. 20, mm.

' W. H. NOACK.

BUTTER CUTTER.

(Applieatiox' a filed Jan. 22, 1901.

(No Model.) 2 Shee tsSheet -2.

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UNIT D STATES PATENT QFFICE.

WILLIAM H. NOAOK, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

BUTTER- CUTTER.

$PEC1FIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 681,068, dated August 20, 1901. Application filed January 22,1901. Serial No. 44,280. (No model.)

I To wZZ whom it may concern.-

. land, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Butter-Cutters; and I do declare that thefollowing is a full, clear,and

exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to butter-cutters; and the object of the invention is to provide a butter-cutter which will divide up a brickor block of butter into equal subdivisions of small and uniform size to be served individually at the table, all substantially as shown and described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

a In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective elevation of my improved butter-cutter with all the parts assembled and in relation as they appear when ready to divide a brick or block of butter into four sections, which is the first step in the operation. Fig. 2 is a central sectional elevation of my invention with both cutterframes removed. Fig. 3 is a perspective elevation of the invention as it appears when the butter has been sliced by the horizontally-moving sectional cutter into four equal parts and is being cut into table portions or pieces by means of a second cutter-frame and wires moving from above downward, all as hereinafter more fully described. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the vertical cutterframe and its attached parts and showing especially the tension or take-up mechanism for the wires. I

The invention thus shown is reduced to the fewest possible number of parts and to the simplest form practicable in View of the work it is designed to do and comprises, first, a suitable and rather heavy cast-metal base 2 of a weight and size to sustain the attached parts and prevent tilting. Upon one end of this base is a standard 3, which is preferably of a cylindrical exterior and also preferably in a separate piece or part from the base, but rigidly securedthereon. It may be tubular or solid and need not necessarily be heavy, but strong enough to carry the upper cutterframe. Next above base 2 is a platform 4, which also is preferably formed in a single piece of cast metal and has a rear extension 5, sleeved or otherwise firmly secured upon standard 3, so that it remains permanently in position when once put in place. In this instance said platform is formed also with a vertical or right-angled back 6 at its rear end, and a longitudinal separating-slot runs the full length thereof, midway between its sides, back to wall 6. Guideways are formed lengthwise in the side edges of the platform and a series of shallow transverse grooves or channels 8 in its top surface, which run across from edge to edge and are of a sufficient depth to at least receive the wires when they have cut down through the butter. If the wires were always sure to be kept straight and taut, these grooves might not really be needed, but they contribute to more perfect work than a plain surface will give. The rear wall 6 is divided up into four sections by vertical and horizontal grooves or channels 7 and 9, respectively, corresponding to the cutting-wires 11 and 12 in frame 10,which is adapted to slice the butter into four equal quarters and lose its wires in said grooves or channels. Said frame 10 is clearly shown in Fig. 1, where it stands in its initial or starting position ready to be moved back to wall 6 and divide the butter into quarters. Obviously at some tables it may be desired to serve butter more liberally and in larger pieces than at others, and any one can have his choice of size by getting a machine made accordingly. He may slice, say, into six sections instead of four in the first instance or cut the four sections to a smaller size by the last cutter. In the present machine the joint product of the two outters is twenty-eight equal parts or subdivisions. It might, indeed, be into double that number by simply duplicating the severingwires 11 and 12 in frame 10, and frames 10 and 20 might be made larger or smaller, so as to work with a block of butter of larger or smaller size. In this instance the block is supposed to represent a pound of butter and is divided into twenty-eight equal portions, which provides aliberal allowance for individual service. The said frame 10 is a rectangle as here shown, having the wires 11 and 12 crossing at right angles at its center and stretched so as to be perfectly tight,and is provided with supporting-runners 15,adapted to slide in grooves or channels 17 in the edges of platform 4. These runners extend out some length equidistant from frame 10, so as to give long and easy bearings for sliding back and forth. Said frame is reversible on the platform, either side being adapted to be entered for use, and

y the said runners are of sufficient length to enable frame 10 to be drawn out from the near edge of the platform and the block of butter and yet support said frame upon the platform, as seen in Fig. 1, ready to do the cutting. The runners might be on only one side of frame 10, but are preferably on both sides to give longer bearings.

When the cutter 10 has been carried through the block of butter to the rear and its wires rest in the grooves or channels in wall 6, it remains in that position for the time being. Then the butter is ready for the next and last cutting operation, whereby it is sliced or subdivided into miniature blocks or pieces of a suitable size by means of frame 20. Said frame is equipped with six cross-wires 21 as seen here, corresponding to the grooves or channels in the top of the platform, and has a neck 22, adapted to run down over standard 3 and to be rotated thereon at its top and when not in use to be swung off to one side, as in Fig. 1, so'as to enable the butter to be placed in position and cutter 10 to do its work. In Fig. 3 cutter is shown at work, passing down through the butter and cutting it into table portions, and frame 10 in the meantime stands at the rear just within frame 20, but out of theway, as clearly seen in Fig. 3. The lines on which wires 11 and 12 sever the butter are clearly seen in the block of butter outlined in Fig. 3.

When the cutter 20 is down to the limit of its movement, it is out of the way, and the butter is exposed and ready to be used. Suitable handles 24 are used on frame 20 and may be at the sides thereof, if preferred, and while said frame is adapted to be rotated on standard 3 such rotation only occurs at the top of the standard, where a pin or projection 25 in its neck 22 runs in the annular channel or groove 26 (seen in Fig. 1) and holds the frame up. When said frame is to be lowered, it is turned into working position, as appears in Fig. 3, where pin 25 runs down in a vertical slot 27 the full length in the rear of post or standard 3. As this occurs there is no rotation of frame 20, and it is held to its work. When said frame is raised, as in Fig. 1, it can be rotated around to the rear and lifted off by reason of a short slot 28 in the top and when the cutter is made up, but if. broken can be replaced. Wires 21 are preferably provided with a take-up mechanism, because it is more essential that their work be absolutely accurate. Hence I have provided a rotatable rod or shaft 30, in or to which the ends of said wires are fastened, and said rod is adapted to be rotated to stretch said wires and is held in locked position by a dog 31, pivoted on frame 10, and which engages ratchet-teeth 32 on shaft 30.

Forthe purpose of this description and the claims the portion of platform 4. next to the standard 3 is referred to as the rear end, and this would apply if said platform were exactly square or narrowest from front to rear. The same idea enters into the description of base 2 and standard 3.

Frame 10 may have side handles, if thought desirable, and it will be noticed that the runners are high enough from its lower edge to allow said edge to pass back beneath platform 4. It is stopped by said lower edge striking against the head of the platform where it engages on standard 3.

What I claim is- 1. In butter-cutters, a base and a standard rigid therewith, a butter-receiving platform having a flat upright back rigid therewith at its rear in front of and apart from said standard, a cutter-frame slidably supported on said standard, and the said standard and cutter-frame constructed so that the said frame may slide down over said upright back and rotate horizontally at the top of the standard, substantially as described.

2. The butter-cutter described comprising a base and a standard thereon, a platform above the base and a cutter-frame having a sliding and rotatable connection with said standard, substantially as described.

3. The base and the single cylindrical standard thereon and the outer frame sup ported on said standard, said standard and frame constructed to permit the frame to slide up and down within fixed vertical lines and to rotate at the top of the standard, sub stantially as described.

4. In abutter-cutter, a cutter-frame having a series of wires stretched across the same from side to side and a sleeve at one end of saidframe, in combination with a fixed standard on which said sleeve is adapted to slide up and down, and a horizontally-arranged platform to which said cutter-frame works, said frame being mounted to rotate on said standard at its top, substantially as de= scribed.

5. In butter-cutters, a butter-receiving platform slotted from front to rear and having guideways in its side edges, in combina= tion with a cutterframe embracing said platform slidably supported in said guide ways and having transversely-disposed cut tor-wires, said cutter-frame having elongated sliding portions; in said guideways and the sides thereof connected across the bottom beneath said platform, substantially as described.

6. In butter-cutters, a fixed base and standard and a platform for receiving the butter slotted from front to rear and having a series of parallel channels across its top at right angles to said slot and an upright back rigid with said platform and grooved on its face, in combination with the slidable butter-cutter supported on said platform and adapted torest at the rear thereof, anda cutter-frame movable up and down on said standard and over said slidable cutter, substantially as described.

WILLIAM H. NOAOK.

WVitnesses:

M. A. SHEEHAN, R. B. Mosnn. 

